HERMIT KINGDOM

07.08.12

Mickey Mouse Performs in N. Korea

Todd Anderson, Disney Parks / Getty Images

Ever the diplomat, Mickey Mouse took the stage in North Korea on Friday in a performance staged by citizens for leader Kim Jong-un. Other performers dressed as characters from Disney films danced on a stage at the concert for Kim in what may have been the first public appearance by Disney characters allowed in the authoritarian state. The leader is in his late 20s. State media claimed that Kim has a “grandiose plan to bring about a dramatic turn in the field of literature and arts this year.” Whether the performers had received permission from Disney to use the characters is not yet known.